Monday, July 02, 2007

Royal Brunei Airlines to introduce Boeing 777

By Za'im Zaini

Royal Brunei Airlines will be acquiring Boeing 777 extended range aircraft on lease, with the first due to arrive in the third quarter of this year.

The B777 aircraft, to be used on the long-haul routes to Europe and Australia, will vastly improve RBA's capabilities by offering a higher passenger and cargo load capacity. It will also present the opportunity to operate direct flights to London.

The B777's seat capacity of 273 seats is significantly higher than the current Boeing 767's capacity. It will have a three-class configuration, encompassing Royal Executive Class with 12 seats, Darussalam Class with 46 seats and an Economy Class with 215 seats. The introduction of the new Royal Executive Class gives premium travellers the opportunity to upgrade to a class that offers "cocoon" flatbed sleeper seats, which provide plenty of space and privacy.

The leased B777 aircraft are an interim solution to the airline's re-fleeting programme. In line with RBA's Strategic Business Plan, it aims to phase out the current Boeing 767 aircraft. Under the re-fleeting programme, RBA will also acquire new Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft that have been ordered and are due for delivery in late 2009.